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-   -   air puff security equiptment (https://www.fodors.com/community/united-states/air-puff-security-equiptment-656922/)

bodi Nov 4th, 2006 09:42 PM

air puff security equiptment
 
Just experienced for the first time in IND and I prefer! Fast, simple and no touching! I would like to learn more about this, but do not know what the equiptment is called. I'd love to know what others think and how many are in airports today? Have you stepped into the puffer?

sunshine Nov 4th, 2006 09:46 PM

I went through the "puffer" at the Las Vegas airport several months ago. I rather enjoyed it myself. lol. I'm not sure what it's called.

bodi Nov 4th, 2006 09:55 PM

Did you know it was the line you were in? I would have chosen if I had known but just luck ended me there. I was told they have only one at each security with the rest- metal dectectors, pat downs and hand wands. The first puff is a bit of a surprise but quickly moves down and done. I will ask for it in the future and hope more airports will aquire. By the way, does this equiptment 'see' us naked? Still better than being touched in my opinion.

mark99 Nov 4th, 2006 10:11 PM

Not one line at least at other airports. They moved people from other lines (incl me) based on some criteria that I could not tell.

I'd love to have a cute girl in a mini ahead of me in the line....that I will say!! :>


bodi Nov 4th, 2006 10:24 PM

I finally found it on TSA- they are called "Puffer Portals" and they quickly check skin cells etc for any evidence of explosives. I was told at IND when busy they use and send any questionables from standard lines and when no lines, they walk everyone through the Puffer.

emd Nov 5th, 2006 04:32 AM

I started a posting on this when my family and I were "chosen" to go through one of the first GE air machines at Phoenix airport w/my family last Dec. Several others chimed in and it appeared at that time that they were in about half dozen airports, but many other airports have expanded and added them since then.

ms_go Nov 5th, 2006 04:37 AM

FYI, they also have these now to screen everyone going into the museum in the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty -- my first encounter.

loru100 Nov 5th, 2006 08:49 AM

I encountered it too at the Statue of Liberty in September...my first experience with the "puffer". Apparently the metal in my retainer set it off (talk about sensitive). I'm surprised it wasn't the underwire in my bra that set it off, which happens to me all the time at airports. Nothing like standing in front of a hundred people as a guy waves the wand over your chest and it beeps and then you get to go behind a curtain and get felt up by security staff...should I say thanks or offer them a cigarette?

sunnydelite Nov 5th, 2006 09:46 AM

Oh my God! I went through one of these in Charlotte,NC and I took my daughter through..The look on her face (and mine LOL was priceless .We werent expecting that LOL>>>>It startled my 20 mo.old daughter!

katharineclifton Nov 8th, 2006 07:19 PM

They have one of these in the CN Tower in Toronto. The hockey players I was with went ahead of me and were watching very carefully. I was afraid that it was something that weighed people going up on the elevator to keep to the weight restriction.

Statia Nov 9th, 2006 08:39 AM

I didn't mind these machines until the one in San Juan beeped on me last month. Arrgghhh.

What a pain that was. Not only did they hand search every inch of my person and my baggage, but they also had to complete some paperwork after asking me various questions regarding everything from my employment to medications I take. It was certainly much more entailed than when one beeps in the regular walk thru x-ray machine.

The whole thing took quite some time and I thought for sure I would miss my connecting flight. Now I am probably in the system at SJU as being some sort of threat.

thurstonbb Nov 9th, 2006 11:34 AM

I call it "being puffed" and always get sent into it at Logan in oston.

jamesr3939 Nov 9th, 2006 09:36 PM

At Sacramento you still have to do the x-ray after the puffer. The puffer only smells for bomb making stuff and not metals, like a knife or box cutter. So you still have to do both, which was a joke when we did it as it took longer.

Dukey Nov 10th, 2006 12:02 AM

Do a search and look for that post which describes it as a "high tech b-job."


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